


With You or Against You

by ceruleangrace



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: And also husbands!, M/M, Post-Canon, We love husbands who coach the future generations, Yuuri and Viktor are coaches, yoisecretsanta2018
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 17:52:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17166539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceruleangrace/pseuds/ceruleangrace
Summary: After retiring, Yuuri and Viktor settle down in Japan to start living their normal, post-competition lives. Both, however, keep on coaching the younger generation of skaters. As it turns out, neither of them are quite out of competition mode yet.





	With You or Against You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [itakethewords (BluntBetty)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluntBetty/gifts).



> Merry Christmas, Tetris! I tried to take your ideas of post-skating and coaching to make this. I actually had so much fun with it, that if you're interested, I'd really like to continue! I hope you had a great holiday!

“Wow! Look at you go!” Yuuri genuinely encouraged, cheering on the small skater as he made his way across the ice: wobbly and imperfect, sure, but definitely more progress. The small seven year old beamed at him brightly, chubby cheeked and beaded with sweat. He’d only been practicing for a few months, but Yuuri fondly was reminded of his times as a child skater. 

Now, he leaned against the walls of the rink, propping his leg against a colorful advertisement. The student, who he affectionately nicknamed Aki, was his last of the young, amateur students of the day. Yuuri noted his mother smiling affectionately at her son from the entrance of the ring and decided to make his way over.

“Aki, why don’t you get some water. I think we’re finished for the day!” He gave the young boy a gentle push on the lower back. 

His student's mother grinned as they both made their way off the ice. “What an honor it is to get my child trained by such a local celebrity,” she gushed; thankfully, she didn’t dare be flirtatious. She only looked as if she wanted to pinch his cheeks and maybe ask for an autograph. Throughout all these years, Yuuri still wasn’t immune to blushing at any sort of compliments from strangers, and did so now, his cheeks melting into a light pink.

“W-well, I wouldn’t say celebrity. Only people who keep up with the Olympics really--”

“Oh shush! We are all so proud to have you here, Yuuri. And coaching of all things… usually those professional skaters live a life in the spotlight after retiring. How nice it is to have you remaining so local!” she continued her tirade, not letting Yuuri get a word in, “And Viktor, too!” she tacked on, a bit more passion in her voice as she released his name into the air. Though Viktor was happily married, women still couldn't help admiring him from afar. 

Yuuri couldn't help but admire Viktor from afar either. Until he remembered that he was the one married to him. Even so, it seemed some things never changed.

They said their goodbyes, Yuuri taking a quick drink before he made his way back onto the ice, now alone.

Viktor had taken to coaching as well, but only one student: Yurio. Japan was crowded between the three of them and their personalities (the two Russians, in particular), but they managed to all live in relative peace. Meanwhile, Yuuri spent his time surrounded by child skaters, only taking on one professional, who was now skating very eagerly onto the ice.

“Yuuri~!” he shouted excitedly, making his way across the ice at rapid speeds, waving both hands all-too-eager. Instantly, the young boy began a ramble that turned to buzzing in Yuuri’s ears, though he tried to smile and nod.

Yuuri had taken on Minami as a student due mostly to the latter’s incessant asking. After retiring, he was content to relax in Japan with his now-husband, not travel the world to coach someone else’s grand prix. And yet.. Minami admired him so much. The concept of rejecting him nearly broke both their hearts.

Reflecting further, Yuuri found himself dazing off more and more, Minami needing little more than his eyes on him to vent loudly to himself. It had been a long day; he was, admittedly, a bit tired. The noise began to blur together more, further drooping him into a bit of a daydream.

“Yuuri,” a voice behind him whispered into his ear, “I know you didn’t forget it was Yurio and I who scheduled for the ice at this time, no?”

Yuuri couldn’t help but loudly gasp, falling backwards. He’d have made a fool of himself if he didn’t fall directly into someone’s chest. He turned, adjusting his now lopsided glasses as he faced Viktor, who had one hand propped on his hip in some type of mock shame. 

Minami was quick to skate to his side. “Yurio is practicing with us?!” it came out as part shocked gasp, and part squeal. 

Yurio snorted as he stretched one leg naturally onto the barricade, not yet entering the ice. “No way. I don’t share the ice.” 

“Come on! We can practice together! It’ll be so fun!” Minami persisted. 

Yurio’s eyes nearly made Yuuri feel fear with how cold they shone, even though he knew being nervous around Yurio was a bit of a joke at this point. Minami, however, was completely unaffected. 

A few more seconds of glaring later and Yurio refocused on his stretching. “No way, kid.” 

“I’m older than you!” 

“Not in skating years.”

“Skating years?!”

Yuuri managed to zone out again as their bickering increased, refocusing on his husband who was still looking at him with faux-shame. “Minami and I always practice this time on Thursdays.” Yuuri pouted. 

Two fingers poked against his forehead teasingly, and lingered there, brushing his bangs aside. “You practice with all types of students every day. But competitions are right around the corner. It’s time to share,” he raised his voice a bit “Or Yurio may not even qualify for the Grand Prix!” 

Minami guffawed loudly, both the younger men breaking out of their bickering as Yurio threw the closest nearby skate (easily-dodgable) at Viktor’s head. “I heard that, idiot!” 

Viktor merely smirked as he turned back to Yuuri. “I’m sure he’ll qualify just fine,” Yuuri smiled, “he just won’t win.” Both the Russians went wide-eyed at that, but Yuuri only gave them a wink. 

“The future champion and I will be practicing. But you’re free to share the ice, Coach Viktor.” And Yuuri gave him the smuggest smirk of his own, gliding away towards his student who was practically rolling on the ice with laughter. 

He didn’t have to look behind him to know Viktor watched him with a smile. But he did hear a stream of loud Russian threats from a very offended blonde. 

~ - ~ - 

The next Thursday, Yuuri finished once again conversing with Aki’s mother, walking her outside the rink to say goodbye and talk about her son’s progress. 

“Yuuri!” Minami interrupted, waving as he hopped to the door. “Ready for more practice today?!” The young boy was always full of energy, and though the upbeatness at times exhausted Yuuri, it was nice having a student who had the same endurance and stamina that he had during his competition days. 

“Of course, why don’t you start stretching inside and I’ll be there in a minute?”

Minami nodded, giving his coach a salute as he skipped towards the building. 

Minutes later, Yuuri walked Aki and his mother to the car, and was surprised to turn around and see Minami waiting for him by the door. 

“Why aren’t you stretching?” 

“Uh… I figured you’d like to see.” 

Yuuri pursed his lips at that, blinking in genuine curiosity. “See…?” he muttered, walking with a quicker pace as Minami trailed behind him. 

He pushed open the doors, looking out onto the ice. His senses were suddenly flooded with the loud echoing of piano and skates against the ice. 

He blinked, absorbing the scene before him. Viktor stood on the sides of the ice, a finger against his chin as Yurio did a run through of his free skate.

“Viktor? What are you--”

“Yuuri, my love!” he shouted happily, “Good to see you. Yurio and I began, but as you said last week, feel free to share!”

“Or feel free to leave!” Yurio shouted in the middle of his spin. 

“Yuuri,” Minami whispered, “I guess we are sharing the ice from now on?” 

Yuuri, however, was all eyes on his husband. His Viktor, who had already turned away from him and was correcting Yurio’s technique. He was flooded with the memories of when Viktor was coaching him, the passion in his eyes as he sculpted those who he deemed to have potential into the perfect skater. 

Yes, it was that look in his eyes that had made Yuuri want to coach in the first place. 

~ - ~ - ~

Viktor and Yuuri both stood outside the ice, eyes on their respective students as they practiced. Neither had exchanged more than a few statements with the other, meters between them. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, just one filled with a serious, busy focus. 

Viktor chose to break that quiet first. 

“Your student is rather good, Yuuri. He’s improved such a long way from years ago, when you were up against him.” 

“Yes, he has,” Yuuri smiled proudly. 

He walked over to his husband and laced their fingers together. Their careers aside, they rarely went a long period of time without some physical contact if they were in the same room. Plus, practice was almost over: soon, they’d be returning to their home, and all the domestic normalcy that came with it.

“It’s a shame, really.” Viktor muttered after a minute, his sigh a bit too theatrical. 

“What’s that?” Yuuri asked, warning on his lips. 

“That he has to lose to Yurio.” Viktor smirked, turning towards him. 

Yuuri’s eyes narrowed, but not for long. He quickly put on his most mysterious smile, turning to his husband and putting both arms around his neck. Any suspicion Viktor had evaporated with the contact, as he distracted himself with reaching a hand to Yuuri’s neck, playing with the ends of his hair.

“I love watching you as a coach. It reminds me of when you were my coach. You were the only coach for me, Viktor,” he muttered against his husband’s ear. “Do you want to know my favorite memory?” he asked, innocent.

Viktor merely hummed in acknowledgement, too focused on brushing strands of Yuuri’s growing hair behind his ear. 

Yuuri continued nonetheless. “It was when I had defeated your record at the Grand Prix final. The way you looked at me when you said I had made you so proud as a coach, and yet so excited to compete again.” 

Viktors fingers stopped their teasing. “Yuuri…?” 

“I’m just so excited, Viktor,” Yuuri leaned closer to his husband, meeting his wide eyes as he whispered against his lips “I just can’t wait to defeat you as a coach, too.” 

Viktor blinked, cheeks pink and eyes wide, as Yuuri pecked him and skated away. 

Yuuri laughed on the ice as Viktor was still at a loss for words, mouth agape. 

He loved his husband dearly, as his best friend, his longtime crush, his lifelong hero. Then as a coach, a rinkmate, a lover. 

But more than anything, he loved the spark in Viktor’s eyes as he saw him as an equal. A competitor. Someone that could match his genius, reflect it, and keep him going. 

“Come on, Coach Viktor,” Yuuri laughed, “Don’t let me defeat you again!”


End file.
